Vallejo police recruits two officers back

After years of losing experienced police officers to other cities, Vallejo has finally gotten a couple of them back.

The police department has hired two former Vallejo officers to replace retiring ones, saving the department both time and money, police said.

Officers Robert Greenberg and Steve Fowler returned to Vallejo in November and this month, respectively.

Although they had left the Vallejo Police Department last year, they both remained as reserve officers.

"Hiring people from the reserve pool cut down so much money and time," said Sgt. Kenny Park, Vallejo Police Department spokesman.

Park said hiring a candidate from the outside takes the department six months to a year, and about $5,000 to $7,000 per applicant. That's due to an array of interviews, medical, psychological and other testing to decide if someone is fit to become an officer.

Greenberg and Fowler were the only two former Vallejo officers who had reserve status and wanted to return, Vallejo Police Chief Robert Nichelini said.

"We offered Greenberg and Fowler the positions as soon as they opened up due to the retirements," Nichelini said. "We, of course, are pleased to have two highly qualified officers who know Vallejo back at the department."

Madison and Peretto joined the department in June 1988 and August 1981, respectively.

By rehiring Greenberg and Fowler, the city maintains the number of sworn officers at 90. The city approved a five-year-plan this year that will keep that number constant until 2015.

In February 2008, there were 143 Vallejo police officers, but the number has dwindlingover the past two years. Around the time Vallejo declared bankruptcy in May 2008, many Vallejo police officers left the department out of fear of being laid off, or losing their retirement benefits.

Greenberg was one of those. He left for Hayward in September 2009.

Even though the Hayward Police Department "paid more money, had better benefits, and was a well-staffed police department," Greenberg said he didn't want to leave Vallejo. But he was concerned about financial instability.

"I was just worried about my wife, who was seven months pregnant at that time," he said.

Hayward, a city of about 142,000, has a police force of about 200 officers, he added.

Greenberg said he earns less in Vallejo, a city of about 116,000. He said his monthly paycheck in Hayward was about $8,400, while in Vallejo he receives about $7,300.

Fowler was working at the Bay Area Rapid Transit District Police Department before returning to Vallejo on Dec. 3. He declined to be interviewed for this article and his salaries at BART and in Vallejo were not immediately available.

Nichelini said having former officers back on the force has advantages.

"They already know the city and our operating procedures," he said. "Also, we have had substantial time to evaluate their performance and know the quality of officer we are getting."